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BRIEF 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 

Prepared by Members of the 

CLASS OF 1916 
DEXTER HIGH SCHOOL 

As a Part of Then- Graduation Exercises on the 

One Hundredth Anniversary 

of the 

Incorporation of the Town 

1816--1916 



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HISTORY OF DEXTER 



§§ si 



CHAPTER I. Interesting Facts of Maine History Edward H. Ellms 

CHAPTER n. The Early Settlers of Dexter Alice M. Wilder 

CHAPTER HI. The Incorporation of Dexter and the First 

Town Meeting, Jere Abbott 

CHAPTER IV. Dexter From Its Incorporation to the Civil 

War Laurence E. Weymouth 

CHAPTER V. Dexter In the Civil War, F. Weston Howard 

CHAPTER VI. De.xter's Industrial and Civic Development 

Since the Civil War, Ruth H. Hall 






,' paifcaifcfflR^iiiUiliUi[iyil}y!lj^ 



HISTORY of DEXTER 





LL citizens of Maine are proud of 
their state and they would be 
more proud if they knew more 
of its history, for Maine has the 
most enviable one of any state 
in the Union. In studying its 
history we find that it's motto, "I lead" 
is well chosen and typical of Maine's 
past history and career. 

The first permanent settlement in 
New England was made, not at Ply- 
mouth in 1620 but at Castine in 1613 ot 
14. In 1622 the starving people of Ply- 
mouth obtained a shipload of provisions 
and supplies from Pemaquid and other 
places in Maine. Castine claims the dis- 
tinction of having been held by five dif- 
ferent nationalities, the Indains, the 
French, the Dutch, the English, and the 
Americans- 

The first city in America was in 
Maine. It was called Georgiana and 
was founded by Ferdinando Gorges. 
He secured a grant of 24,000 acres, on 
both sides of York river, and establish- 
ed a colony there. Gorges' long thwart- 



ed ambition demanded a great success 
for his colony. He inaugurated a mini- 
ature old world city, with all its formal 
civil government and its many oflScials. 
But the city was not destined to live 
long. Sir Ferdinando Gorges died and 
while his son, Thomas, was abroad in 
Europe the city was sacrificed to the 
ambition of the Massachusetts Bay 
Company. It was then sold to another 
company and when Thomas Gorges re- 
turned its civic splendor had all depart- 
ed. It remained a town, however, and 
it exists today under the name of York. 

The first seed sown and the first crop 
raised north of Florida was in Maine in 
the year 1605. 

The first English ship to be built in 
America was built in Maine in 1607, the 
same year that the first settlement was 
made in Virginia. 

The first bill of exchange which was 
also a conveyance of i-eal estate, was 
given in Maine in 1623 and the first 
deed of real estate was drawn up in 
Maine in 1625. 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



The only New England men of 
early times ever knighted, were 
two Maine men, Sir William Pepperell 
and Sir WiUiam Phipps. Sir Hiram 
Maxim is also a Maine man. 

In patriotic acts and impulses Maine 
has ever been a leader. It was Colonel 
William Pepperell, a Maine man, with 
4,000 sons of the Pine Tree State, who 
captured Louisberg, the Gibraltar of 
America. In that expedition was Capt. 
William Swanton of Bath, Maine, great 
grandfather of five of the early settlers 
of Dexter ; heads of large families. 

On the same night that news was re- 
ceived of the battle of Lexington, Maine 
men started for Massachusetts. They 
fought at Bunker Hill and Dorchester 
Heights. The same drums that beat at 
Louisburg beat at Bunker Hill thirty 
years after, and the officers who had 
charge of the intrenchments at Louis- 
burg teid out the defences of Bunker 
Hill. 

The first naval battle of the Revolu- 
tionary war was fought in Machias 
Harbor, Maine. One morning in June a 
British vessel, the Margaretta came 
into Machias Harbor. The commander 
of the Margaretta ordered that a liber- 
ty pole which the people had erected 
should be taken down or he would fire 
upon the town. 

The men held a meeting in the woods 
to discuss the situation. Benjamin 
Foster stepped across a small brook 
calling on all who were in favor of seiz- 
ing the ship to follow him. In a short 
time every man had crossed over. 

The Margar'etta learned of her dan- 
ger and dropped down the river. 
Thomas O'Brien took possession of a 
sloop callted the Unity and mustered a 
volunteer crew of about 40. Foster 



went to East River and secured a 
schooner and crew there but it ran 
aground and was unable to participate 
in the fight. 

The Unity pursued the Margaretta ; 
shots were exchanged and a man on the 
Unity was killed. Finally Captain O'- 
Brien ran the bowsprit of the Unity 
through the mainsail of the Margaretta 
and 20 of his men armed only with 
pitchforks, rushed upon her deck. The 
commander and several men were killed 
and then the ship surrendered. John 
O'Brien estimated the British loss at 
10 killed and 10 wounded. Of the 20 
men one was killed and two wounded. 
The Margaretta was refitted and named 
the Machias Liberty. 

During the terrible winter at Valley 
Forge 1,008 of the 10,000 men there 
were from Maine and Maine was the 
first state after Pennsylvania, in which 
Valley Forge is located, to erect a mon- 
ument there. 

The first Secretary of War of the 
United States, was a Maine man. Gener- 
al Henry Knox. 

Maine was not in sympathy with the 
war of 1812, but more soldiers came 
from Maine according to its population, 
than from any other state and the Com- 
mander-in-Chief, General Dearborn, 
was a Maine man. 

Commodore Preble, who commanded 
the expeditions against the Barbary 
States was a Maine man. He was the 
first officer to receive a vote of thanks 
from Congre^ after the adoption of the 
Constitution. 

The first to respond to Lincoln's call 
for troops was a Maine company and 
the man who had the honor to receive 
the surrender of General Lee's army, 




MAIN STREET, DEXTER, 1849 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



was a Maine man, General Joshua L. 
Chamberlain. 

Maine was the only state that did not 
lose a battle flag during the Civil war 
and Maine captured more battle flags 
than any other state. Maine also fur- 
nished more soldiers according to her 
population than any other state. The 
vice president of the United States at 
this time Hannibal Hamlin, was a 
Maine man. He was a close friend of 
Lincoln. Later he was minister to 
Spain. 

We, as citizens of Maine, should be 
extremely proud of its history and 
should take pride in helping to make it 
live up to its motto "I lead." But let us 
not forget in our love for our native 
state and our pride in her history that 
our first duty and our greatest love is 
due to that of which Maine is only a 
part, the United States of America. 



CHAPTER TWO 



^-^ IX score years ago the site of our 
J^ present thriving town of Dex- 
ter was a trackless forest. 
Wild animals roamed over its 
hills and valleys. Indians built 
their wigwams and planted 
their corn on the shores of Lake Was- 
sookeag. The early settlers' only means 
of transportation was the pack horse in 
summer and the hand sled in winter, as 
the wilderness was broken only by trail.- 
or footpaths. Today the citizens are hap- 
py and prosperous in their homes, rear- 
ing their children in plenty and peace, 
and enjoying all modern pleasures and 
conveniences. This great change is 



due to the sturdy courage and persist- . 
ent vigor of the first white settlers. 

After the Revolutionary war, Mas- 
.sachusetts had no money to pay her 
war debt, but she did have plenty of 
wild land, so she granted to every man 
who had served three years in the war, 
the choice of twenty dollars in money, 
or two hundred acres of land in Maine, 
which was then a province of Massachu- 
setts. 

By the year 1785, although many 
grants had been made to deserving in- 
dividuals and land had been sold to sol- 
diers for one dollar per acre, only 
twelve towns had been laid out east of 
the Penobscot river. To promote other 
settlements and to raise money for her 
treasury Massachusetts in 1786 con- 
trived a land lottery ; 2,720 tickets were 
issued at £60 each, entitling each holder 
to a prize consisting of tracts of land 
lying between the Penobscot and St. 
Croix rivers and varying in extent from 
one-half mile to six miles square. A 
large number of tickets remained un- 
sold after the drawing and these were 
bought by William Bingham of Phila- 
delphia, who in a short time owned 
above two million acres of land in 
Maine, which had cost him on an aver- 
age of twelve and one-half cents per 
acre. 

These results being unsatisfactory to 
Massachusetts she had the land survey- 
ed and laid out into twenty-one town- 
ships among which was the present 
township of Dexter. These town.^hips 
were put into the hands of the commit- 
tee for the sale of Eastern land;;, for the 
purpose of selling them and increasing 
their population. 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



In March 1794 James Bridge of Au- 
gusta purchased from the Common- 
wealth of Massachusetts the present 
townsh;'p of Dexter. He soon sold it to 
Charles Vaughn, who was acting for a 
company in Massachusetts. Vaughn 
was unable to meet the conditions in- 
volved in the purchase of this land and 
Dexter passed through several hands 
before Andrew Cragie of Cambridge. 
Massachusetts, purchased, and induced 
settlements upon it. During the year 
1800, Cragie sent Samuel Elkins from 
Cornville to locate a suitable site for a 
mill. Mr. Elkins chose the outlet of the 
body of water which was later named 
Lake Wassookeag and began at once to 
hew timber for the structure. The 
mill proved an attraction, for the same 
year Ebenezer Small and John Tucker 
came here to secure locations for future 
homes. Mr. Small made a clearing, 
put up a log cabin, and raised a crop of 
corn ; the next spring he returned to 
New Hampshire for his wife. There 
was no road fui'ther than Harniony so. 
with their necessary household goods 
loaded on a hand sled and with Mrs. 
Small seated on top, they continued 
their journey. There was no: even a 
foot path to guide thei-.i through the 
ii'orest and it was with great difficulty 
th t they found their way, by means of 
r-potted trees and at last reached their 
de?tination. 

In the year 1802 a saw- and gristmill 
was completed ; soon after it was sold 
to Jonathan Snow, who in 1804, built 
the fii'st frame house, on the present 
site of the late Mrs. Horton's residence. 

These early settlers were greatly in- 
convenienced by the difficulties of 
transportation. The story of the advent 



of the first mill crank is a good illus- 
tration of these difficulties. There was a 
road from Corinth to Bangor and a 
winter road to Garland, but only a foot- 
path connected Dexter with these towns 
and it was over this footpath that the 
crank was brought, on horseback ; two 
men balanced the crank and a third man 
led the horse. They lost their way and 
in their wanderings camped two nights 
in the forest ; about noon of the third 
day they reached the home of the 
Small's, the only family in town, where 
they were cordially welcomed and given 
a hearty meal of the best the town af- 
forded — pounded coi-n boiled in milk. 
After dinner they went back to rescue 
the horse and mill crank which had been 
left in the woods ; at dark they had not 
returned and Mrs. Small, fearing that 
they were lost again, took the dinner 
horn and going to the top of Bryant's 
hill blew blasts which guided the men to 
the opening. 

The hard.-^hips endured by these early 
immigrants seem almost incredible. At 
one time food was so scarce that people 
traveled forty miles to Norridgewock 
on horseback and bought corn for two 
dollars per bushel, and a certain young 
man went to Athens to work in a hay- 
field for a peck of corn per day. 

It -i'-as some time during these early 
years, while her husband was away one 
day working for a neighbor, that Mrs. 
Small upon going to the bear trap near 
the south shore of the lake, found a 
half-grown cub securely caught. She 
killed it, dragged it home, dressed it, 
and cooked some of the tenderest por- 
tions for Mr. Small's supper. 

About the year 1807 the settlers laid 
out a road from Garland to Dexter and 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 

BEFORE 




;UINS ON MAIN STREET AFTER FIRE OF 190V 



also built a schoolhouse which served 
as townhouse, church and schoolhouse 
combined. 

The affairs of Elkinsville as the town- 
ship was called before its Incorporation, 
soon began to projper. The settlers 
worked together with a cordial spirit of 
cooperation, they had quiltings, al- 
though there were not enough women 
to sit around a quilt, and barn raisings 
were common even though they had to 
invite men from Garland to complete 
the necessary number. 

The war of 1812 affected the settlers 
of Dexter very little until the news 
came that the British fleet was ascend- 
ing the Penobscot river toward Bangor. 
Then fifteen men volunteered to go to 
Hampden where the militia was to 
meet; on their way to Hampden they 
met the American army in full retreat, 
so joined their forces and retreated with 
them. 



The population and prosperity of the 
township rapidly increased, roads had 
been laid out and bridges constructed 
when in the year 1816 the town was in- 
corporated under the name of Dexter. 

To these pioneers of the back woods 
mAich praise is due. With persistent, 
unfailing courage they cleared the for- 
est, tilled the soil and established 
homes. They gave their entire lives in 
labor to whose results we owe our pres- 
ent beautiful, prosperous town of Dex- 
ter. 



CHAPTER THREE 



In the fifteen years after the first 
settler had cleared his land and 
built his home in Dexter, (then 
known as Township number 
four, fifth range north of the 
Waldo patent) the little settle- 
ment had barely struggled along until, 



(^ 



HLSTORV OF DEXTER 

AFTER 




NEW BLuLlvS ON 611 L. •/! 



in the year 1816, it had reached a popu- 
lation of about forty families. 

In this short time it had suffered 
many hardships for since it was not a 
town, the commonwealth gave it no 
money for the support of its schools, 
or its roads. For this reason in the year 
1S16 Samuel Copeland, of this Township, 
drew up a petition, signed by forty-two 
men of the community, to the Senate 
and House ox Representatives of Mas- 
sachusetts; for it v%^ill be remembered 
that Maine had not yet become a state 
bat was still a part of Massachusetts. 
This petition begged that Township 
number four, fifth range, be incorpor- 
ated into a town by the name of Dexter. 
The choice of this name was the result 
of a vote taken on three names ; Alton 
the home town of Mrs. Small, wife of 
the first settler; Gower, in honor of the 
federal governor of Massachusetts, and 



Dexter, in honor of Samuel Dexter, the 
Republican candidate for governor. 
Previous to this time the settlement 
had been known both as Elkinstown 
and Bridgestown. This interesting pe- 
tition reads as follows: 

Petition of SamHei Copeland 

To the Honorable Senate and House 
of Representatives of the Common- 
wealth of Massachusetts, in General 
Court assembled (A. D. 1816.) 

The petition of the Inhabitants of 
township number four, in the fifth 
range of Townships north of the Waldo 
patent and in the county of Hancock 
[the counties in those days were not as 
well defined as now and confusion often 
resulted] humbly shews that now are 
actually residing in said township up- 
wards of forty families which find by 
experience that they are under many 



10 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



inconveniences by reason of bad roads, 
and for a regular .way of supporting the 
gospel, and the establishment of schools 
etc. 

Therefore that the inconvenience 
may be remedied, we the undersigned. 
Inhabitants of said Township pray that 
said Township may be incorporated, 
with all the privileges of the new towns 
in this Commonwealth, by the name of 
Dexter or any other name that you in 
your wisdom may think proper to be de- 
sired and as in duty bound u-Sll ever 
pray. 

Samuel Copeland James Jumper 
Seba French John Safi'ord 

James Hill Stephen Spragne 

Dennings Cornelius Cooledge 

Briggs Curtis John Smith 
Jesse Smith 



Samuel Copeland Jr .William Smith 
Samuel Brown Samuel Tucker 

Jonathan Cooly Richard Herrick 
James Fields Samuel Wheeler 

Andrew Morse Stephen Leighton 

Elig. W. Sprague Isiah Lincoln 
John Bates Parker Copeland 

— — Simeon Safford 

John Tucker Luther Copeland 

James Sprague C-uKin Copeland 
Edward Jumper 

Ebenezer Small John Jumper 
David Jones Ceorge Covelin 

Isaac Smith 

Dan. Webben 

On June 17, 1816 a bill for the 
incorporation of the town was passed 
by both houses of the Massachusetts 
l-^'gislature. Thus it was that ToM'nsliip 
number four became the town of Dex- 
ter. 

Bill for the Incorporation of the Town 
of Dexter 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in 



the year of our Lord, one thousand 
eight hundred and sixteen: 

An act to establish the town of Dexter. 

Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate 
and House of Representatives in the 
General Court assembled and by the au- 
thority of the Law — that the Township 
number four, fifth range north of the 
Waldo patent in the county of Penob- 
scot as considered by the following 
boundaries be and hereby is established 
as a town by the name of Dexter. Viz : 
East by the town of Garland, south by 
the Township numbered four in the 
fourth range, west by the township 
numbered five in the fifth range and 
North by the town of Sangerville, and 
the said town of Dexter is hereby vest- 
ed with all the powers and privilege? 
and shall also be subject to all duties 
and requisitions of other corporate 
towns according to the Constitution and 
Laws of this Commonwealth. 

Sect. 2. Be it further enacted that 
the Justice of the Peace for the county 
of Penobscot is hereby authorized on ap- 
plication thereof to issue a Warrant to a 
freehold inhabitant of said Town of 
Dexter re'uir'ng hirh to notify ana 
warn the inhabitants thereof qualified 
to vote in town aflfairs to meet at such 
convenient tim.e of law within the said 
Town as shall be appointed in said War- 
rant for the choice of such olHcei's 
as towns are by Law imposed and re- 
quired to choose and appoint at their 
assembled Town meeting. 
House of Representatives, June 1 "i, 1816 

This bill having had three several 
readings passed to be enacted. 

Timothy Bigelow. 
In Senate, June 17, 1816. 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



This bill having had two several read- 
ings passed to be enacted. 

John Phillips, Pres. 
June 17. 1816, Approved. 

J. Brooks (Gov. of Mass.) 
True copy attest. 
Allan Bradford, Sec. of Commonwealth. 

It is interesting to note that Garland 
was incorporated before Dexter, but 
Dexter with its abundant water pow- 
er has far surpassed Garland, which had 
to depend wholly upon agriculture. 
Dexter owes much to its water power. 

In accordance with the law, Isaac 
Wheeler of Garland, Justii.'e ot tlie 
Peace, issued the following warrant, the 
thirteenth day of August of that same 
year, this being the warrant of Dexter's 
first town meeting. 
Penobscot County, 

To Capt. Samuel Copeland, one of the 
inhabitants of the Township number 
four in the fifth range north of the Wal- 
do patent and by the late act of the Gen- 
eral Court incorporated by the name of 
Dexter and being in said county of Pen- 
obscot. GREETINGS: 

Whereas Seba French and said Samu- 
el Copeland have made application to 
me, the subscribed one of the Justices of 
the Peace for the said county, to call a 
meeting of the inhabitants of said town 
qualified by law to vote in town afiairs 
to assemble at the schoolhouse in said 
town, Thursday, the twenty-third day of 
August inst. at two o'clock in the after- 
noon to act on the following articles vis : 

1st. To choose a moderator to gov- 
ern said meeting. 

2nd. To choose a town clerk. 

3rd. To choose three or more select- 
men. 

4th. To choose three or more as- 
sessors and all other necessarv town 



oflicers that Incorporate Towns are au- 
thorized to choose in similar cases at 
their annual Town Meetings. 
Given under my hand 
and seal at Garland 
this thirteenth day 
of Aug., in the year 
1816. 

Isaac Wheeler. 
Justice of the Peace. 

The schoolhouse referred to as the 
meeting place for the first town meet- 
ing was the Batchelder school-house, 
which stood on what is now the old 
Whitcomb place. 

As a result of this Town Meeting An- 
drew Morse was chosen moderator; 
John Bates, town clerk and treasurer; 
Cornelius Cooledge, Andrew Morse and 
Seba French, selectmen ; among the 
other town officers were tithingmen, 
and hog reaves. This meeting was 
adjourned until Monday, September 2, 
at one o'clock when a more complete 
warrant was voted upon. 

So it was that in the year 1816, Dex- 
ter began the prosperous and indu.-'tri- 
ous course of the first century of its his- 
tory. 



CHAPTER FOUR 

^^ HAT period in Dexter's history 
^ from the incorporation of the 
town to the time of the Civil 
War, is one of remarkable 
growth and prosperity. Dur- 
ing this period Dexter easily out- 
distanced all of the surrounding towns, 
many of which were settled and incor- 
porated at a much earlier date. The 
population increased from 461 in the 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



year 1820, to nearly 2,400 at the out- 
break of the Civil War, an increase of 
over 500'; in 40 years. The number of 
polls increased from 95 to over 400 and 
the property valuation from $27,000 to 
about $500,000, on a two-thirds 
basis, or three quarters of a million; a 
record surpassed by few towns in this 
part of the country. 

At the beginning of this period the 
center of population of the town was 
not the village, but a point some dis- 
tance to the east, where the first school- 
house was built, the village proper con- 
sisting of only four roughly constructed 
dwellings and seven other buildings. 

The early inhabitants of the town la- 
bored under great difficulties for all 
goods must be brought from Bangor, 
the nearest market, on horseback, over 
roughly constructed roads which were 
hardly more than trails. There was no 
regular mail service and there were no 
stage lines. 

A year after the incorporation of the 
town, Jonathan Farrar came here from 
Bloom.field, now Skowhegan. Mr. Far- 
rar, being young, active, and even 
wealthy for that time, soon became the 
most important character in the early 
history of the town, and to him, more 
than to any other, is due the period of 
prosperity which followed. He com- 
menced a system of permanent improve- 
ments, dug the canal, and built the 
gristmill dam. He built a new gristmill, 
which, greatly enlarged, is now operat- 
ed by S. L. Small. He purchased the 
Morse saw- and carding-mill and the 
carding-mill of James C. Hill; the 
latter was several times remodeled and 
finally converted into a planing-mill 
which became the propertj^^ of the El- 
dridge Bros., the present owners. Mr. 



Farrar also opened a store in the low- 
er story of his dwelling, which is now 
known as the Flj-nt house. In 1818, 
when the first mail route was establish- 
ed between Bangor and Harmony, 
through Dexter, he was appointed post- 
master. 

In 1820, Jeremiah and Amos Abbott 
came here from Andover, Mass. They 
purchased the Morse carding- and saw- 
mil! from Mr. Farrar and by subsequent 
enlargem-ent and remodelling converted 
it into a mill for the manufacture of 
woolen cloth, This was one of the fir.st 
woolen mills in the state and sent the 
'irst woolen goods from Maine to the 
Boston market. 

Another pioneer industry was estab- 
lished in 1828, when Mr. Farrar con- 
structed a tannery on what is now Cen- 
tre street. This was gradually enlarg- 
ed and later under the Shaws, became 
one of Dexter's most important indus- 
tries. 

This same year Lysander Cutler came 
here from Royalston, Mass. He formed 
a partnership with Mr. Farrar and took 
a very prominent part in the aff"airs of 
the town. In 1835 Farrar & Cutler pur- 
chased the gristmill, previously con- 
structed on the present site of the 
White mills by Jeremiah and Amos Ab- 
bott, and enlarged and remodeled it into 
a woolen mill now owned by the Morri- 
son Woolen Co. At about this time 
Farrar & Cutler erected a large and 
complete woolen mil! on the site of the 
present Dumbarton mill. This was to- 
tally destroyed by fire in 1844, but Far- 
rar & Cutler, not discouraged, built 
upon the same site a large stone mill 
two stories high. This forms the two 
lower stories of the present mill, hence 
often called the stone mill. 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



Another woolen mill was built in 
1847 by Calvin Copeland on the present 
site of the Fay & Scott machine shops. 
This was destroyed by fire in 1868. 

The next year in 1848, the firm of 
Foss, Conant Co. erected a brick mill in 
the lower part of the village, now 
known as the Wassookeag Mill. They 
operated this until 1855, when they sold 
out to Farrar & Cutler, who thus be- 
came the owners of three woolen mills, 
besides other smaller interests. Dur- 
ing the National financial crisis of 1856 
the financial strain became too great 
for the firm and it was obliged to sus- 
pend. The mills passed into the hands 
of the creditors and, in 1863 were or- 
ganized as the Dexter Woolen Mills, and 
continued under this name for the next 
twenty-five years. 

In addition to these more important 
industries, there were many of less im- 
portance, of which may be mentioned 
the foundry and machine shop of Na- 
thaniel Dustin ; a box-mill opposite the 
brick mill ; a carding-mill in the building 
which now serves as the office of the 
Morrison Woolen Co., a wood-working 
mill near the- tannery; and several mills 
outside the village Hmits. 

The village school system has always 
been the pride of the townspeople. This 
had its beginning in 1822, when a sub- 
stantial school building was erected 
near the site of the Crosby Law office. 
This building, also served for many 
years as a town hall. In 1834, on ac- 
count of the rapid growth of the town, 
lai'ger school accommodations became 
necessary and a two-story building was 
erected on the site now occupied 
by the present town hall. The lower 
floor consisted of two schoolrooms, 



while the second floor was used as a 
town hall. This served until 1856, 
when, during the town meeting of that 
year, the floor gave way and over 300 
people were precipitated into the base- 
ment. Strangely enough, no one was 
killed and but one or two seriously in- 
jured. The building was then moved 
away and now serves as the mill-office 
and storehouse of the Amos Abbott Co. 
Our present Town hall was then built, 
the lower floor serving for a long time 
as schoolrooms for the primary and in- 
termediate grades. At the same time a 
new building was erected on School 
street for the grammar grades and the 
H'gh school. The present grading sys- 
tem was introduced into the schools 
during the fourth decade of the cen- 
tury, chiefly through the efforts of Mr. 
Lysander Cutler, who was deeply inter- 
ested in the schools. 

Four of Dexter's nine churches were 
built during this period. The Univer- 
salists in 1828, erected a small meeting 
house on Church street, which has since 
been greatly enlarged. Six years later 
the Methodists and the Baptists erected 
a union church upon the present site of 
the Methodist church. This served for 
both societies until 1839 when the Bap- 
tists withdrew and built their present 
church. Seven years later the Congre- 
gationalists built a small meeting house 
which now serves as a vestry for their 
present church. 

Thus we have briefly traced the rapid 
growth of the town, industrially, edu- 
cationally and religiously and have seen 
the vfllage grow from a small country 
cross-roads to a manufacturing town of 
considerable importance. 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



15 



CHAPTER F5VE 

OMING now to the outbreak of 
the Civil War, we find that Dex- 
ter's record in this memorable 
struggle is a most honorable 
one; 283 of her patriotic sons 
offered their services to the 
Federal govtrnment and of this num- 
ber, which represented over one-half of 
the men available for war duty, and 
about one-sixth of the total male popu- 
lation of the town, many paid the high- 
est tribute of loyalty that a soldier can 
pay — they gave their lives that the Un- 
ion might be saved and that our nation- 
al honor might be unstained. 

Not only did these mtn of Eexter do 
all in their power to aid in putting down 
the rebellion, but the municipality itself 
played its part by carrying out to the 
letter the orders relating to the pay- 
ment of bounties to enlisting men. In 
all $40,238 was paid, at rates varying 
from $53 to $300 per man. The town 
also gave liberally to the support of the 
families of the men who went to the 
front. 

Although the rosters of nearly all 
Maine regiments held the names of 
Dexter men, by far the greater number 
were in the 2nd, the 6th, and the 20th. 
These famous regiments participated in 
every important engagement of the 
army of the Potomac, including Antie- 
tam, Fredricksburg. Rappahannock 
Station, the Wilderness Campaign and 
Gettysburg. 

Innumerable acts of heroism were 
performed on the fields of battle by 
Maine men, in recognition of which 
thirty-nine medals were awarded dur- 
ing the war and many more in the two 



years immediately following. We 
should be especially proud of the fact 
that one ox these thirty-nine was pre- 
sented to a De.xter boy, Otis 0. Roberts, 
then a sergeant of Co. H., 6th Maine 
Vols. 

In telling the story of how he won 
this honor, Mr. Roberts says : — 

'"Twas late on the afternoon of Nov- 
tmber 7, '63, while the battle of Rap- 
pahannock Station was at its height. 
My regiment, having been ordered to 
capture a line of rebel rifle-pits, formed 
for the charge and swept forward toward 
the rifle flashes which marked the ene- 
my's line. Half-way across the field we 
came to a sunken road, where we stop- 
ped to get our breath. Hearing the or- 
der to charge again, I repeated it to my 
company, then started on the run for 
the enemy's trench. Reaching it, I 
paused, and looking back found that not 
one of my company had followed me. 

Realizing that I could not stay where 
I was and not wishing again to risk my 
life on that bullet-swept field, I leaped 
over the trench into the midst of the 
rebels, who, when they found that I was 
only a lone Yankee, and not a percus- 
sion shell, politely invited me to surren- 
der. As I sat there in the shelter of the 
trench suddenly the air around me was 
filled with flying arms and legs which 
resolved themselves into a squad of five 
blue-clad infantrymen, whom I joyfully 
recognized as belonging to my own com- 
pany. Snatching up my rifle, I joined 
them in a headlong rush down the line 
of the trench toward where other com- 
panies of our own regiment had suc- 
ceeded in breaking through. The rebs 
in our path, deceived by our boldness and 



16 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 




UEXTER HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING 



shouting, believed that the entire Yan- 
kee army was upon them, and throwing 
down their arms, hastened toward the 
Union hnes, where they were placed un- 
der guard. We nearly reached our 
friends when we came upon the enemy's 
color company, who attempted to put up 
a fight to save their flag. There was no 
stopping our wi4d charge, however, for 
they dared not fire upon us for fear of 
hitting their own men, and we »truck 
them like a whirlwind, and scattered 
them like chaff. I wrested the flag 
from the hands of the color-bearer, af- 
ter a li\«ely fist-fight, and as the arrival 
of reinforcements now turned the tide 
of battle in our favor, the six of us re- 
turned to our company with the captur- 
ed flag and several prisoners." 

In addition to the medal of honor 
which Sergt. Roberts received, he was 
chosen to carry the flag, which he had 
captured, to the headquarters of the 



field staff of the Union army, and was 
escorted by his entire company, who 
served him as a guard of honor. 

Another exhibition of personal dar- 
ing was the saving of a Union cannon at 
the battle of Cedar Mountain by a Dex- 
Maine Battery, with five men of his de- 
ter man, Sergt. H. A. Johnson^ 6th 
tachment he held an entire company of 
rebels at bay until other Union soldiers 
came to his aid. 

Among those who were commended 
for their gallantry on the field of bat- 
tle was Sergt. William H. Coan, Co. H. 
6th Maine, likewise of this town, oblig- 
ed to take command of his company at 
the battle of Rappahannock Station, af- 
ter his captain and lieutenants had fall- 
e*i, he proved himself such an able 
leader that he was soon promoted to 
adjutant. 

Other Dexter men gave good service 
in such famous organizations as the 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



17 



1st. Maine Cavalry, which boasts of 
having fought in more battlc^j than any 
other single regiment of the army of 
the Potomac and of havi;^!.'' lost more 
men killed and wounded than any other 
cavalry regiment in the United States 
service. 

Represented by men in the Jdth i\Ie., 
Dexter will never forget the part played 
by this regiment at Gettysburg. Being 
ordered to hold the rebels in check while 
the Union men got into position on 
Cemetery Ridge, the brave 16th was 
practically annihilated, only four offi- 
cers and thirty-six men surviving to 
surrender themselves to the combined 
forces of three regiments of Confeder- 
ates. Before laying down their arms 
the forty men tore their battle flags into 
small pieces, thus saving them from 
the ignominy of capture. 

Other volunteers from Dexter distin- 
guished themselves by conspicuous 
bravery on the battlefields, as did also 
many veterans now belonging to the lo- 
cal G. A. R. Post, who enlisted from 
other towns of Maine. In fact every 
man who left his home, his parents, or 
his wife and children, to defend his 
country during her hour of peril, did 
his full duty; and to those who ret:ur?i- 
ed, and to the memory of those who did 
not return, we of this later geaeration 
should give our slnceresr lov^e and our 
deepest respect. 



HE 



CHAPTER SIX 

period toUov/ing the Civil 



boom. 



War has been one of growth 
and development for Dexter. 
With the coming of the rail- 
road from Newport to Dexter 
in 1868, the town began to 
The railroad was built at a cost 



of $300,000 of which Dexter furnished 
$225,000. After completion it was 
leased to the Maine Central R. R. for a 
term of 30 years and at the end of 
that time the Maine Central purchased 
it, assuming the debt. Bv the opening 
of the railroad Dexter was connected 
with the commercial world and new and 
ready markets were opened to her man- 
ufacturers. Her business men were also 
given new opportunities to get in touch 
with the world. 

A little previous to this time Loring 
Hayes had built the Exchange hotel and 
this has been improved and enlarged 
until it is one of the best hotels in 
Maine. 

The Dexter Gazette was first pub- 
lished in 1853 by J. F. Witherell, who 
in 18'i9 sold it to Robbins & GaUison. 
In 1882 Dr. Orin Fitzgerald start- 
ed the Eastern State and in the early 
nineties these two papers were consoli- 
dated under the name of the Eastern 
Gazette. The paper is still known un- 
der this name and it has become an up- 
to-date local newspaper. 

In 1867 the Dexter Savings Bank was 
organized, followed in 1875 by the First 
National Bank and in 1898 by a branch 
of the Waterville Trust Company. For 
various reasons all these banks have 
gone out of business and have been re- 
placed by the Eastern Trust and the 
Dexter Trust, both banks ii^ the best 
standing. 

The G. A. R. post was organized Oct. 
16, 1874 under the name of the H. F. 
Safford Post No. 8, with H. L. Wood, 
commander. At one time it numbered 
180 members. 

In this same year, 1874, the school 
system underwent an important 
change. Up to this time the town had 



HISTORY OF DEXTER 



19 



been divided into school districts, each 
acting as an independent organization. 
Now these were discontinued and by 
the new arangement the smallest school 
was given the same length of term as 
the largest and every pupil could avail 
himself of the privilege of at least six 
months schooling a year. The village 
schools were graded. Three years later 
the town voted to supply the pupils with 
books. The High School building was 
destroyed by fire and in 1888 the pres- 
ent building was erected. At that time 
the school buildings were sufficient to 
accommodate the number of pupils, but 
now the schools are overcrowded and a 
new High School building is much need- 
ed. At the last town meeting it was 
voted to introduce manual training and 
domestic science into the schools next 
year. This will go far toward putting 
the school system of Dexter upon an 
equality with the best in the state. 

In 1880 a town library was establish- 
ed when the Mercantile Library associa- 
tion donated its library to the town, 
provided it was made free to the inhab- 
itants and supported by the town. In 
1894 George Abbott offered to furnish 
the necessary funds for a library build- 
ing if the town would raise $1,000 by 
subscription ; this was promptly done 
and the Abbott Memorial Library was 
erected in the center of the town at a 
cost of $30,000. This library contains 
at the present time over 12,000 volumes 
and through the efficiency and helpful- 
ness of the librarians is of great benefit 
to the townspeople in general and to the 
schools in particular. 

In 1880 Dexter installed electric 
lights and in 1904 an excellent system 
of waterworks was established under 



the direction of a special town commit- 
tee chosen for the pui-pose. Last sum- 
mer an improvement in the lighting 
system in the business section was 
made, the old poles being removed and 
ornamental ones substituted. 

A fire which caused a great loss at 
the time but which has resulted in a 
great improvement for Dexter, occurred 
in the winter of 1907, when a large por- 
tion of the business blocks on the south 
side of Main street were swept away. 
These buildings, which were of wood, 
have been replaced by fine-looking, sub- 
stantial brick structures which greatly 
improve the appearance of the business 
section as does also the cement pave- 
ment which was laid last summer. 

In the summer of 1912 Haines & Wy- 
man erected a large, up-to-date motion- 
picture house on Main street. They 
show the best class of pictures procur- 
able and their theatre is one of the best 
in Maine. 

In 1914 Mr. Call moved from his stu- 
dio on Grove street to his present studio 
which comprises the entire top floor of 
the Eastern Trust Block on Main street. 
His studio ranks first in Eastern Maine 
and is one of the finest in the New Eng- 
land states. 

At the present time the creameries, 
garages, mills and the Fay & Scott ma- 
chine shop are all doing an increasingly 
active business and Dexter is one of the 
most thriving of Maine towns. 

The persistent effort, thrift, and loy- 
alty,which characterized the earlier pe- 
riods of Dexter's history combine with 
the business ability, so evident in the 
present condition of the town, to as- 
sure for it a most prosperous future. 



STATISTICS 

Of the Town of Dexter 1916 



Population in 1916 (estimated), 4,250 
Number of polls, 1,254 

Value of real estate, $1,356,580.00 

Value of personal property, $289,220.00 
Number of polls taxed $3 each, 1193 
Amount of State tax, $8,730.68 

Amount of county tax, $2,267.19 

To\yn appropriations for 1916, 

$35,364.00 
Overlay for 1916, $1,541.42 

Total tax assessed, $47,903.29 

Rate of taxation, .0265 

Net town debt, $23,439.32 

School census : boys, 542 ; girls, 585 ; 

Total, 1,127 
Number of different pupils registered, 

819 



Number entered during year from some 
other town, 79 

Average attendance for year, 63<> 

Number of volumes in Public Library, 

12,539 
Circulation for year 1915-16, 27,983 

Public buildings: town hall, librkry, 
two hotels, two theatres, eight churches,' 
thirteen school buildings. 

Number of occupations, about 150: 
they include the woolen business with 
about 450 employees, machine shop, 420 : 
farming, 300 ; mercantile business, 150 ; 
sash and blind factory, 25; and many 
others. 

There are 3 dentists, 5 lawyers, 6 
clergymen, 9 doctors and 25 teachers.' 




H 73 78 545 . 



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